Aw yeah, this cashew free “cheesy” vegan queso recipe is out of this world! Potatoes, nutritional yeast, and all the delicious spices make this one-of-a-kind vegan dip your new favorite snack.
It’s hard to believe vegan queso even exists; after all, queso it literally 99% cheese. But hey, times are changing and I’m okay with it!
Lots of vegan quesos are made up from cashews but with all of the nut allergies out there, cashews are not always the best substitute.
So what does this vegan queso recipe use instead?
Potatoes.
Yup you read that right. If potatoes can be queso, you can be anything in life, my friend!
Ingredients in vegan queso:
Besides potato, this fantastic plant-based recipe requires:
- Olive oil – can substitute with another neutral oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Nutritional yeast – for that cheesy flavor
- Almond milk – to create just the right rich, creamy texture
- Garlic – peeled cloves
- Salsa – your favorite store bought or homemade salsa
- Seasonings – cumin, chili powder, paprika, plus salt to taste
With most these ingredients being pantry essentials, this recipe can always be a quick snack option.
What is nutritional yeast?
Let’s talk about nutritional yeast for a sec as it is the primary ingredient in vegan queso. It’s a natural, inactive yeast (so different from the yeast in bread). Nutritional yeast has a great cheesy flavor and is used in many savory vegan recipes – from Leek and Asparagus Vegan Quiche and Crispy Baked Everything Kale Chips, to Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup and this yummy Vegan Queso recipe!
How to make vegan queso
This delicious dairy-free “cheese” dip is ready to enjoy in only 20 minutes.
Start by boiling the peeled and chopped potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Salting the water is a critical step as it brings in the flavor.
Once the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them well and return to the pot to cool slightly.
Then add the potatoes to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until creamy and smooth.
Taste the vegan queso, and add more seasonings as you like.
Serve slightly warm as-is, or heat up the queso in the microwave a bit. Or you can even chill in the fridge before enjoying for a cold dip.
What to eat with vegan queso:
My favorite way is simply with tortilla chips, but there are so many ways to enjoy this queso dip:
- Makes a great companion for tacos.
- Serve on the side for dipping, or drizzle on top of a Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme.
- Use it to make nachos! Lather a pile of tortilla chips with queso and top with all the nacho fixings.
- Pour it over a bowl of rice and beans and add some veggies for an easy and healthy meal.
- Have it in a taco salad!
Troubleshooting tips:
If your vegan queso doesn’t look like the pictures, don’t fret! This recipe is very forgiving, meaning minor tweaks can improve your queso…
Queso is too thin? Try adding a little bit of nutritional yeast or 1 teaspoon of corn starch.
Queso is too thick? Add a little bit of olive oil or almond milk to thin out.
How long does vegan queso last?
About 5-7 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. Just warm it up in the microwave when you want to eat it!
If you like this vegan dip, you’ll LOVE:
The Best Vegan Queso {Cashew-Free!}
Ingredients
- 1 medium russet potato cubed (about 1-1/2 cups)
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 Tablespoons salsa
- 1/3 cup almond milk or any other plant-based milk (oat, soy, cashew are good options)
- 2-3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Tools:
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a pot and fill with water until potatoes are covered. Add 1 Tablespoon of salt and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and let simmer until potatoes are cooked through. To check for doneness, a fork should pierce through a potato with ease.
- Strain potatoes and add to the food processor. Add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, salsa, almond milk, garlic cloves, cumin, chili powder, and paprika to the blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings (I add about 1 teaspoon of salt!)
- Serve warm with tortilla chips. Leftovers keep for about 5-7 days in the fridge.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Right?! So delicious!
That’s interesting… I’ve never seen nutritional yeast or tried it, sounds like a fun seasoning although I feel it needs a name change 😉
HA! It’s good, promise!
love how easy to follow these instructions are!
Thanks, Patty!
What a great idea to use potatoes instead of nuts, beside the allergies they are also much more reasonably priced.
Agreed!
Using potatoes and nutritional yeast to make queso is so creative! I would love to try this recipe!
I hope you do! 🙂
Ok… so I’m not vegan, but I have to try this recipe! Sounds awesome! I just have to find nutritional yeast… Thanks for sharing
It’s fairly easy to find now! Trader Joe’s sells it and a lot of grocery stores sell it in either the health food aisles or the bulk section.
Oh my goodness ! I just made it and its so great! thanks for posting this delicious recipe
I’m glad you loved it as much as I do!! 🙂
Hello! Recipe is awesome, but it’s marketed as nut-free while saying to use almond milk in the recipe??
Thanks so much for pointing that out! Just updated the recipe to use oat milk instead 🙂
Do you think I could make a ton and can it for you easy use? I have been vegan for 1 month and have already made it many times. This way would be easier
I’m not sure what the question is! Can you please rephrase it?
Can I use white potatoes instead of russet?
yes that should work!
SO great. If someone told you it was cheese, you would believe it no problem! Yummy. I didn’t use the cumin, and added the salsa after blending so it stayed chunky,
Thanks so much, Diane! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe. Love the idea of keeping the salsa chunky.
This was pretty good other than it was so salty I could not eat it. Did you really mean 1 tablespoon or was that a typo?
The salt does not go directly in the queso. It goes in the water when you are cooking the potatoes. Most of that salt is then discarded. You do this to season the potatoes when cooking (similar to cooking pasta). I hope this helps!
I made this and it was easy …I liked everything about this recipe thank you
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Debbie!
This was incredibly satisfying! Having tried plenty of vegan cheese dupes in the past and being disappointed I wasn’t expecting much out of a humble potato, but oh man was this good. Texture was so convincingly cheesey. Kids, husband and I ate it with whatever we liked, raw veggies, roasted sweet potatoes, tortilla chips or rice crackers. I can’t wait to try it on pasta (different spices maybe?), tortilla wraps, and all kinds of Mexican dishes. Yum.